"My aunt had once gone there and rafted the Urabama River and walked the trails," Woods said. "Going to Peru remained a dream of mine since my childhood. I was fortunate when I was told the flower show needed judges."

Woods' daughter, Jessica, accompanied her on the trip. Virginia's role was to judge both the horticulture and floral design categories of contestants from South America, including Peru, Brazil and Chile.

Similar variety of flowers

"Oddly, many of the flowers we saw could be found at the markets in Houston," she said. "Exporting and importing flowers has become a booming economy. The flower markets have become very international.

"Regardless, it was still a lot more colorful than here," the contest judge said.

The show allowed her to tour Cusco and the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. To get to the ruins, she had to take a train and then a bus.

"The Andes Mountains were awesome," Woods said. "It's a very spiritual place.

"It's a mystery how they got all those boulders and rocks up there for the Inca buildings. There, they call it the 'belly button of the world.' This is the place where it all began."

"Peruvian design is more into textiles and ethnic weavings," she said.

"They are also concerned about the conservation of water and native flowers and plants that can grow with very little water.

"Agriculture is very important in their country."

One of the major exhibits, she said, included a huge display honoring chocolate, one of Peru's top exports. Others included table arrangements with plates, silverware and flowers, weaving exhibits, and those featuring flowers found only in Peru.

Huge flower arrangements

Since many of the homes there are of the Spanish Colonial style, one design was constructed with Spanish wrought iron. Unlike the minimal Japanese style, Peruvians go all out with huge floral arrangements, Woods said.

"People think it is very tropical there, but the truth is there is very little rainfall. Some parts are very arid. Some pockets, however, gain rain from the mountains and allow them to grow brilliant tropical flowers," the floral designer said.

Minimal water technique

Woods brought back to her garden clubs knowledge of the Peruvian art of Xeriscaping, based on the ability to grow plants with very little water.

"I encourage everyone to go to the Andes," she said. "They are the most delightful people. I found them friendly, kind and almost childlike."

Woods visited a gold museum in Lima was invited into many private homes for banquets and parties. The homes allowed her to see much of the artwork of Peru.

"The trip made me see how young our country is," she said. "The artifacts there are truly ancient. You have to see it in person.

"It was a wonderful experience. But you must travel there to understand the place," she said.

The Natural Science Museum in Houston featured an exhibit of the type of flowers Woods saw. It was called Machu Picchu, the Mysteries of the Incas, which ran through Sept. 6.

Woods said she went at just the right time. Recently, a mudslide washed out bridges and many boulders around Lima.